Rest on My Shoulder
by Dotty Harrison
Summary: Scar and Zazu have always been at odds with each other. It's only when Scar decides to find a queen to continue his bloodline that the new king and the majordomo begin to see each other in a different light.
1. Advice From Little Hornbills

The king of the Pride Lands took in his kingdom during his late afternoon stroll. The savannah spread out as far as the eye could see, and all of it belonged to him. The animals, prey and predator alike, were his to rule over. It didn't matter to him that his subjects were thinning in numbers or that the lionesses' bows were stiff and unenthusiastic, at least he was finally in charge of the Pride Lands. Head held high, he walked through the thinning fields of grass towards the shallower than normal watering hole for a peaceful drink before returning back to Pride Rock for a nap.

"Scar!" A squawking voice pierced the air and burrowed itself into Scar's ear. His peaceful state of mind shattered, Scar winced as the sound of wings flapping indicated that he would not be able to enjoy the rest of his walk.

"What is it, Zazu?" the king snarled with annoyance, not even bothering to give the hornbill a passing glance. The bird was the only downside to the crown in his opinion, as Mufasa's former stooge seemed to find every chance possible to pester him about something or other.

"Sire," Zazu began, landing on a nearby rock and tucking in his wings. "I have urgent matters to discuss with you regarding the irresponsible hunting methods of the hyenas!"

"Can't this wait?" Scar groaned, wondering how far away Shenzi and her cronies were from their current location. He would give almost anything for them to appear beside them and chase the bird away, snapping at his tail feathers until they caught him and ate him.

"I'm afraid not, your highness," Zazu huffed, ruffling his feathers before continuing. "The hyenas have been caught stealing the prey already caught by the cheetahs, and they are absolutey furious! You _must_ reel them in..."

As Zazu continued to prattle on about the grievances of the kigdom, Scar managed to let his mind wander to other things. It eventually settled on his favorite topic: himself. Two years had passed since Mufasa and Simba's deaths, and for two years he had rules the Pride Lands just as he should have from the beginning. Yet there was still something missing, an emptiness that distracted him from his newfound glory. And as a small group of zebras galloped past him with looks of trepidation on their faces, he discovered what it was.

"Zazu," Scar sighed, gazing into the distance with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Why am I not loved?"

Zazu stopped speaking mid-sentence as he registered the king's question. "Beg pardon?" The question surprised the majordomo, and even the matters of keeping the kingdom in order were pushed from his mind.

Scar seemed to pay no attention to him, instead continuing to muse on his loneliness. "I have a kingdom and loyal subjects… what did my brother have that I don't?"

"Oh, where to start?" Zazu muttered. "Years of experience, an open ear, a respectable and powerful queen…"

"A queen…" Scar interrupted, letting his thoughts linger on the last word. His green eyes flashed as his brain lit up in triumph. "That's it! I need a queen! A mate to produce heirs to the throne!"

"Good, then that solves that problem," Zazu said quickly, trying to drive the conversation to more pressing topics. "Now, about the hyenas…"

"But who among the pride would be worthy enough to be my queen?" Scar asked, once again ignoring Zazu who rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, no one deserves you for a mate, sire," the hornbill quipped with enough sincerity for the statement to be mistaken as a compliment. Scar was too lost in thought to acknowledge the hit to his character.

"Oh, make yourself useful for once and help me!" Scar snapped before directing his gaze towards a group of lionesses sunbathing on some nearby rocks. "What of Sarabi? She possesses the experience and aura of a queen. My subjects would approve of her."

Zazu rolled his eyes again, feeling free to do so since he was out of the view of the king. "Sarabi won't have you, sire. The two years since Mufasa and Simba's death have not been long enough for her to mourn. _Please _try and execute some sensitivity in this quest for a mate, sire."

Scar resisted the urge to snarl at Zazu and point out that he was the king, and that she would be his queen whether she wanted to or not. Then again, the former queen was getting on in years and was sickeningly loyal to Mufasa's memory. Not to mention that she was one of the better hunters of the pride, and keeping her occupied with cubs would mean less food. "Fine, then. What of Sarafina? No, no," he said before Zazu could reply. "She's nearly as old as Sarabi. But didn't she have a female cub? One that was a particularly good fighter?"

"Nala?" Zazu asked in astonishment. "Come now, your majesty. There must be a lioness _somewhat _closer to your own age?" Zazu would be damned if the playful, loving young lioness were to become the bride of the bitter, narcissistic king.

As they spoke, a hunting party walked past them. They were led by a lean lioness with sharper facial features and fur more tan than golden. Her slightly less muscular body made her agile and an expert at stalking prey. Sensing that she was being watched, she allowed another member of her hunting party to take the lead in order to fall a bit behind. She snarled when she noticed Zazu's critical eye on her, but as soon as she saw Scar looking off into the distance, her expression changed to one of respect, almost worship.

"What about Zira," Zazu offered, grimacing as the lioness in question shot the king a simpering look of adoration. "That ghastly lioness is always mooning over you like a lovesick cub."

"Zira?" Scar repeated thoughtfully, watching the lionesses begin their hunt. "And you think she'll make a good queen?"

"Oh yes, of course. She'll do a fine job of stroking your inflated ego. Sire," Zazu added hastily as Scar shot him a nasty look. After a moment, the king's expression softened back to his typical self-important smirk.

"Very well, then. Zazu, go find Zira and inform her that she will meet me in my den tomorrow at high noon. I'm going to retire for the day."

"So I'm to play matchmaker _as well _as operate damage control for the hyenas?" Zazu huffed, offended that his position as majordomo could be lowered to such duties.

"No one said you needed to have this job at all, Zazu," Scar pointed out, flicking his tail at him. "You could very well stop being useful to me politically and instead make for a pleasant midday snack."

Two years ago, Zazu may have squawked in panic and flown away instantly. Now, however, after being under Scar's reign for as long as he had, the long suffering majordomo merely scoffed and took himself away from the conversation. He spread his wings and drifted away to look for Zira and inform her that she could very well be the next queen of the Pride Lands.


	2. A Modest Proposal

Most of the animals in the Pride Lands had long since awoken and begun their days when the sun shone directly above the savannah. They tended to open their eyes just as the sun peeked its way above the horizon, and the lionesses of Pride Rock followed this unwritten rule as well. As early as dawn, one or two hunting parties began looking for prey to bring back to the pride while the others confided in one another about their plans for the day, any strange happenings in the kingdom, and how much success they had had during their last hunting expedition. Early morning was a busy time for the animals of Africa, and hardly a single creature was still asleep by the time high noon came around.

King Scar, however, had just woken from a long sleep when the sun had halfway finished its daily journey. He rolled off his side in the comfort of his dark den before picking himself up off the rock slab he used for a bed. As usual, he began his day as king with a leisurely stretch of his leg muscles before listening carefully for any sound that might be a pair of flapping wings or a gossiping, nagging bird beak blabbing on about something or other regarding the kingdom. Hearing nothing but a few distant roars from his own lionesses, Scar relaxed considerably. He sat on his hind haunches and ran his tongue over the fur on his paws. If the insufferable hornbill had done as he asked instead of getting distracted by some idle gossip, then the future queen of the Pride Lands would be visiting him shortly in order for him to give her the news that she had been chosen to sit by his side for the rest of his long, powerful reign.

Scar continued his grooming, meticulously removing the flaws that his long sleep had wrought unto his brown fur. Appearances were everything and, although Zira would have no choice but to accept her new position as queen, it certainly wouldn't hurt to make himself presentable for the big news. Besides, Scar thought as his tongue passed over his skinny front legs, sometimes appearances were all he had to go one without the naturally powerful muscles that his brother had sported.

"You wanted to see me, your majesty?" Just as expected, a syrupy voice purred from the cave's entrance just as Scar licked a few rebellious hairs back into the shape of his black mane.

Scar turned to see his expected guest standing at the mouth of his den. "Ah yes, Zira," he greeted her, straightening his spine and walking towards her. His smile was winning and charismatic, and fueled by the motivation he had to acquire her as his mate and father the future heirs to his throne. "I have an important matter to discuss with you."

Zira bowed respectfully and, to Scar's delight, without any of the hesitation or half-heartedness that Sarabi and her companions often used. "I hope I haven't done anything to displease you, Scar," the lioness began, standing proudly yet submissively in front of her king. _The perfect stance, _Scar mused to himself. _She will serve me as king, yet stand above the other lionesses of the pack._

"Not at all," the king reassured her. He began following the script he had devised since his talk with Zazu the previous day, finishing with the cordial greeting and moving on to flattery. "I've observed your hunting tactics, and I must say they are _far_ more… _elegant_ than the brutish way Sarabi and her hunting parties go about bringing down prey."

Zira bowed her head low to the ground so that her chin nearly touched the ground. "Thank you," she said graciously. "Although most of the skills that me and my hunting parties use come from our build."

"Yes, I've noticed that as well." Scar paced around his intended while letting his eyes inspect her body with intense scrutiny. "Very lean, thin, yet strong about the legs. Yes, these will be fine traits to pass on to little princes of the Pride Lands."

"Princes, your highness?" Zira asked, looking up at the king suddenly. Her expression was one of happy anticipation, although Scar could tell she was trying to suppress that excitement in front of him. A bubble of pride began to fill within his chest at the realization that Zira would actually be _pleased _to be his bride.

"Every kingdom needs a king," Scar continued on with his script, appealing to the logic of the tan lioness. "And every king needs a queen."

"I agree, Scar." Zira turned now to look at him, studying his face for any sign of where the conversation might be headed.

"A queen must be respected, saluted, devoted to her king, and dedicated to siring the continuation of the king's line. I have observed for you for some time," Scar lied between his teeth, "and I see the potential for you to fulfill these duties perfectly." Scar stood directly before the lioness, allowing her brown eyes to match his green ones. "Be my queen, Zira, and together we will rule the Pride Lands unlike any other king and queen before us."

A moment of silence passed between the two lions, but Scar had no feelings of fear of rejection. Every sign of the conversation had pointed to Zira accepting, and if not he knew that she was bound by law to respect his rulings. If necessary, he could bind her to him legally. "Scar," Zira began, bowing once again with full sincerity. "I would be honored to accept your proposal, though I can hardly be considered worthy of your choice for queen."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short," Scar said, waving his paw to dismiss the thought. "You will make a fine queen, an example for all the lionesses of the pride to follow, and a mother to my cubs."

"If you see me as worthy, then I cannot go against your wise judgment, Scar," Zira said. She brought her head under his chin and began to rub herself against his mane. "I will be your queen, Scar, and bring about the next generation of your glorious rule."

The pride Scar felt began to decline then as a creeping feeling of doubt began to worm its way into his heart. He blamed Zazu's ramblings for making him occasionally question his decisions as king, not to mention having to rule under Mufasa's shadow, but still he could not shake the doubts off as easily as he would have liked. "Do you really find my rule 'glorious'?" he asked Zira, cursing himself for showing any sign of uncertainty but craving approval from someone, anyone.

"Of course I do, Scar," Zira answered without skipping a beat. "Your decision to ally with the hyenas was nothing short of genius."

"How right you are," Scar agreed, feeling a bit more at ease. "And now our territory has grown significantly with the addition of the elephant graveyard that once belonged only to the hyenas."

"An elephant graveyard?" Zira asked, her expression moving from one of admiration to one of curiosity as she pulled away from him. "I had no idea we had such a place in the Pride Lands."

"It's a well kept secret between myself and the hyenas," Scar told her. His tail brushed against hers, and a rush of accomplishment ran through him when the lioness returned the gesture. "But I will, of course, share the secret with my new queen."

"Is this a secret we could explore before your blue-feathered lackey comes to bother you about some trivial matter?" Zira asked, rolling her eyes when referencing the majordomo.

Scar chuckled, a low rumbling sound coming from his throat when he realized that he and his new queen shared the same opinion on Zazu and his so-called "advice". "I think we could manage it," Scar said smugly. He stepped to the side and gestured with his paw, chivalrously allowing Zira to leave the den first. Purring contentedly, Zira made her way outside with Scar following closely behind. He took a great breath of fresh air into his lungs as he surveyed his kingdom, proud that at last he had a queen that would make him much more beloved than Mufasa had ever been.

And if that feeling of emptiness had still not quite left his heart and soul, Scar pretended not to notice as he lead Zira towards the Northern border and the elephant graveyard.


	3. The Hyenas

The two lions made their way through the elephant graveyard, stepping around the bones of fallen animals in the browning grass. As they walked past herds and groups, King Scar's subjects stopped their business to bend their heads low to the ground. Scar regarded each group they passed with a simple nod, while Zira clearly enjoyed the attention. Unlike her soon-to-be mate, she didn't acknowledge a single one of the Pride Lands's subjects, but instead held herself higher and higher with each gesture of respect.

"Your subjects have been taught well to give you the respect you deserve," Zira mentioned to the king when they were out of earshot. They were nearing the former border of the Pride Lands and the elephant graveyard, which now both lion and hyena were free to cross. "I still can't believe Mufasa was content to let those below his stature pass him without so much as a bow!"

"My brother had… different ideas about what roles the Pride Lands' creatures play," Scar replied, crushing the skull of a mouse beneath his foot. The bones sank into the loose dirt, where grass could no longer stay rooted.

"Yes, I've heard about the so-called 'Circle of Life,'" Zira snorted. "Foolishness. Those in power don't end because they have 'reached their time;' they fall because they are weak."

Scar smiled as they walked, feeling more and more confident in himself as a ruler while Zira spoke. This, this is what a mate was for. She praised his ability as king, making him feel above every other being alive. She put him on a pedestal to be worshipped above anything else. And once they reached the elephant graveyard, he could once again feel superior while introducing Zira tot he dark mysteries of the elephant graveyard, unexplored by any lion except himself and two foolish young cubs.

"Hey, Boss!" an all too familiar voice called. The two lions turned towards the sound to see three hyenas approaching them.

Scar closed his eyes tightly, trying to suppress the headache that was begnning to spread from between his eyes to his temples. The presence of Shenzi and her pack was hardly ever welcome to him. "Oh, what is it _this_ time?" he groaned, moving his attention away from Zira.

The hyenas walked up towards the king and his future bride. As usual, Shenzi led the way with Banzai and Ed trailing behind her. Banzai, the most vocal of the three, crassly addressed Scar with his complaint. "We've got a bone to pick with you!"

Shenzi reigned him in, taking control of the situation. "I'll handle this," she said."Scar, there's no food and no water."

Banzai's hunger took away his ability to keep his opinions quiet. "Yeah! It's dinner time, and we ain't got no stinkin' entrées!"

Am angry snarl interrupted him, and the three hyenas turned in surprise towards the source of the noise. Scar turned as well, just as surprised as his lackeys were. The four fixed their gaze on Zira, who's face was a picture of pure rage. All of said rage was focused on Banzai, who began to quake under her stare. "Are you criticizing King Scar's rule?!"

"Well, yeah," Banzai said, the anger leaving his eyes and a wariness replacing it. Zira began to snarl softly, and suddenly Banzai was unable to meet her gaze. "He promised us enough food to last a life time, but every time we try to get some the other animals won't let us…"

"How dare you?!" Zira hissed, her spittle flying from her mouth onto the hyena's face. "Scar is the greatest leader that the Pride Lands have ever seen! How dare you criticize his decisions?!"

Banzai could only stare back at the lioness with an open mouth and a terrified expression in his eyes. "What?" he asked, backing away slowly. Shenzi and Ed quickly retreated behind their companion so that Banzai was the only one in Zira's line of sight.

"Would you rather someone else were king?!" the lioness asked, advancing upon the three hyenas. "Is that what you want?!"

"No… no!" Banzai's eyes widened with fear, turning to look at the king. "Come on, Scar, no, I wasn't saying anything like that…"

"You will address him as _King_ Scar!" Zira roared. "And you will cease addressing him with such casual disrespect from here on."

"Hey, I wasn't trying to disrespect him…" Banzai began, on the verge of stuttering. Before he could say another word, he was flying through the air as his yowl of pain caused Shenzi and Ed to wince. When the outspoken hyena landed hard on his back, even Ed couldn't summon so much as a giggle.

Scar simply stared as Shenzi helped Banzai stand. He certainly had a history of belittling and intimidating the hyenas, but never before had he acted with such violence agaisnt them as Zira had just done. And, from the way the trio were currently cowering, it seemed to be an effective method.

"Apologize to your king," Zira growled, flexing her sharp claws once Banzai was on his feet again.

"I'm sorry. Your majesty," Banzai added hastily after an angry snap of Zira's jaws.

Scar smirked, enjoying the reverent statement coming from his normally cantankerous subject's mouth. That feeling of power returned to him, and made his chest swell just as Zira's had done when he finally spoke again. "Good. Now get out."

"Leave them," Zira snarled, turning her back on the now fleeing hyenas. She turned to rub against Scar's mane, her angry voice dissolving into a soft purr. "We must be near the elephant graveyard shortly. Surely we'll be able to find a private place there."

Scar returned her affectionate nuzzle, letting a series of new feelings wash through him. He felt powerful, strong, unopposed, and revered. He knew now that he would never regret his choice of queen.

"_There _you are, your majesty!"

The hair on his back bristling instantly, Scar felt ready to scream. When he and Zira looked to the sky above them, the two lions were met with the reprimanding stare of the feathered majordomo.


	4. Interruption

Scar rarely saw his majordomo with an expression other than one of annoyance or exasperation. He had to admit, however, that the look on the bird's face was more angry than he had seen in some time. "What are you doing here, Zazu?" he asked, yawning and scratching himself to communicate that he was already unbearably bored with the conversation.

"Oh, spare me your feigned ignorance," Zazu snapped. If he hadn't known Zazu nearly all his life and if the bird hadn't been smaller than his own mouth, the king might have flinched. "If I've told you once about the importance of hearing the morning report, I've told you a thousand times! And here I find you, not lazing about in your den or actually doing some work, but instead talking up lionesses!"

"Technically, Zazu, there is only one lioness that I have been 'taking up.' I do hope you haven't lost your counting skills as a result of listening to mindless chatter your entire life." Scar smirked, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to twist a few more tail feathers before sending his servant away.

"What youcall 'mindless chatter' is vital communications with the animals of the savanna that look to you as their leader!" Zazu landed on the dirt by the lions' feet, pacing back and forth while throwing his wings in the air in frustration.

If Zazu was exasperated, then Zira could only be described as a beast of pure fury. "How dare you interrupt your King?!" she growled, again trying to intimidate the creature that had shortened her time alone with Scar.

The bird stopped pacing to turn his head towards the lioness, but otherwise did not change his expression. "Forgive me, Madam," Zazu replied, sounding not at all as if he wanted to be forgiven, "but the king has duties that must come before pleasure."

"I would rather you not give me your advice on how to enjoy oneself, Zazu," Scar interrupted before the hornbill would be torn to pieces. "Instead, I suggest you tell me what you are doing out here."

"I'm here to deliver the morning report." Zazu ignored Zira's murderous stare, keeping all his attentions on the Scar. "Or the mid-afternoon report, as the case may be."

"Oh, this again," Scar said as he rolled his eyes. "If I may be frank with you, Zazu, the morning report is little of my concern. I'm sure that you could handle any problems of the kingdom that come your way, what with you _vastly _superior intellect and all."

Zazu was far from impressed by the king's sarcasm. "Scar, if you don't come with me to address the concerns of your subjects, then I will be very, very, upset with you." Zazu gave Scar his best scowl, glowering at him despite himuch smaller stature.

"Oh, very good, Zazu," Scar chuckled, mirth glimmering in his green eyes. "If you were any more threatening, you might frighten an ant."

As Zira laughed out loud at Scar's remark, the bird then realized that he was fighting a losing battle. Deciding to salvage what little pride he had left, he took flight and brought himself yo eye level with the king. "I'm going back to Pride Rock now," Zazu announced, looking him intently in the eye. "When you're ready to behave like a proper king, like your brother and all those that came before him, come and find me. Until then, by all means, continue your mindless prattling about. And don't bother coming back until you've spent _quite _a long amount of time considering what your father would say if he could see this dead mess of a land you call a kingdom!"

Scar stared after the departing hornbill with his jaw slightly ajar. Zazu had expressed his disappoitment in him before and had never been shy of doing so, but never before had he brought up Mufasa's reign so blatantly in front of his face. And, thinking back, it had been even longer since anyone had mentioned his father in his presence.

What had Ahadi ever told him about being king, anyway? Since birth, Mufasa had been chosen as king. He was a strong cub that grew into an even stronger adolescent, and so their parents never thought that one day, the youngest son might assume the throne. Mufasa had been the one indoctrinated into the circle of life, while he spent his days trying to entertain himself with no future ahead of him. _Zazu doesn't know what he's talking about, _Scar said to himself. _How could my father have been disapointed in me when he had no part in raising me to be a king? _

An angry voice brought Scar out of his thoughts and back to earth. "I can't believe the insolence of that bird!" Zira spat, flexing her menacing claws into the dirt. "Just wait until I get my paws on him. I'll tear him limb from limb!"

"Believe me, Zira, I am more than capable of handling Zazu on my own," Scar said. "I'll deal with him after we finish our outing."

"Deal with him now!" Zira exclaimed, the anger on her face being replaced with glee. "I won't stop you from keeping your servants in line. That's what's important to a king's reign, Scar. Get him running for the hills missing his tail feathers, and the entire savanna will no that you're not to be crossed."

The thought of terrifying Zazu out of his wits brought a grin to Scar's face. "I think I _will _do that," Scar said. With one final nuzzle to the lionesses's neck, the king turned back to Pride Rock with determination. Zazu would pay for humiliating him.


	5. Just a Little Change

**I honestly don't know what to say about the long wait. Thanks to those that are still following this story, and I promise to update faster in the future.**

The closer that Scar became to Pride Rock, the more he began to look forward to encountering Zazu again. At first, he had found his exchange with the hornbill at the Elephant Graveyard amusing. With his pride constantly bothering him concerning matters of the kingdom, watching Zazu become flustered with frustration was one of his few pleasure in life. Now, looking back at how his majordomo had behaved in front of him and his fiancée, Scar found himself agreeing more and more with Zira. A servant to the king could not be allowed to talk back to him in such a way ever again.

Zazu had been a thorn in his paw for far too long. Ever since the day that Mufasa had taken him in and befriended him, the hornbill made it clear as frequently as he could that he didn't approve of the younger prince. Only his own father had more to criticize about him than the bird. It would feel immensely satisfying to put him in his place once and for all.

But what would be a proper punishment? Eating Zazu would certainly work for shutting him up, but no doubt the hornbill would do everything in his power to cause a terrible case of indigestion. The next best thing would be imprisoning him, Scar decided. It would be easy; he would summon Zazu to his den for a private talk, corner him so that he couldn't escape, then use the ribcage of an unfortunate animal to keep him in place. A laugh rose up in Scar's throat as he imagined Zazu as his little pet. He could walk through his kingdom and relish in the worship of his subjects without any pestering, and Zira would be pleased at the sight of the bird flightless and humiliated.

But what would happen when he went to his den to sleep? Zazu acted the part of a refined, prudent majordomo, but Scar knew that he had a habit of being petty and vindictive. If the king kept Zazu locked up in his den for punishment, the bird would spend all night making as much racket as possible to keep him from a good night's rest. Scar considered finding a different place to sleep if he kept Zazu in his den, but dismissed that idea almost immediately. The cave was a resting place fit for a king, and the darkness reminded him of the sanctuaries he found for himself as a cub. While his father took Mufasa out to bask in the glorious sunlight and think on the older cub's future as king, Scar learned to find comfort in the shadows

No, Scar shook his head, keeping Zazu captive simply wouldn't do. It seemed that killing him was the best possible solution. And, now that he thought about it, the bird's bright feathers would make a lovely prize for Zira. They really were lovely colored feathers, Scar thought as he passed a herd of gazelle that quickly stopped bounding in the grass to bow to him: bright blue the color of the watering hole or the sky on a cloudless day. _Just like today_, Scar noticed, pausing in his search for Zazu took crane his neck back to look up. A soft wind blew across the savannah and lightly pushed the king's fur back.

"Curse that lazy, good-for-nothing oaf!"

Scar's concentration broke at the nearby sound. The wind made it easy for him to pick out the nearby scents, and the king quickly picked up the strongest sound that came from the direction of the shouting. Apparently, there was an aggravated elephant nearby that felt the need to express her displeasure. Making sure that he was downwind, Scar lowered his thin body to the ground and crawled along the dirt. Perhaps it as juvenile to think so, but Scar could never resist a bit of gossip.

The agitated elephant wasn't difficult to find, and soon Scar found himself still hidden but looking into the face of the elephant, her stomach unusually large and round. He soon realized that the elephant wasn't simply muttering to herself, but was in fact having a conversation. She was looking down at the fround in front of her, and Scar carefully parted the grass to get a glipse of who she was talking to. It took him by surprise when he saw that the second member of the conversation was the majordomo.

"I don't know what to do, Zazu," the elephant sighed. "This is the third time this week that my herd has been terrorized by hyenas looking for a quick snack. I've been carrying this calf for almost two years, and I can't bear the thought of bringing it into this world if something doesn't change around here."

"You have every right to be frustrated," Zazu said. He appeared tired with the conversation, but not agitated as he often was when speaking with Scar. "I promise that I will speak to King Scar as soon as possible about looking into the hyenas' over-hunting."

_Oh, I look forward to that conversation,_ Scar muttered to himself.

"I wish Scar were here right now," the elephant said in reply to Zazu, swinging her trunk back and forth in frustration. "I'd stomp him right into the ground for what he's doing to the Pride Lands! The hyenas would never have thought of taking on an elephant herd when Mufasa was king."

Scar barely managed to suppress a growl, his claws protruding from his paws. His subject had never dared to speak poorly of him to his face. Was this how they talked about him when they thought he couldn't hear?

"Please, Akila," Zazu said, wringing his feathers together. "I know that things may be difficult now, but you can't blame Scar for everything that's happening."

Scar's eyes widened and he sheathed his claws reflexively. He could hardly believe his ears hearing Zazu actually passing over an opportunity to berate him for the kingdom's problems.

"And why not?" Akila tilted her head, gazing down at the hornbill with a curious expression. "Zazu, I've never known you to go easy on Scar. Why do you feel the need to defend him?" Scar held his breath, just as anxious to hear what Zazu could possibly say to defend him.

"Great kings aren't made in a day," Zazu pointed out. "Do you recall what Mufasa was like when he first took the throne?"

Scar thought back for a while on those days. Mufasa had been a young lion when their father had died, barely having grown into his mane. He was sometimes impulsive, rash, and even a bit of a bully to some of his smaller subjects. Scar remembered looking on as his brother ruled, imagining all the changes he could make if he were king.

"I'm not suggesting that Mufasa was a perfect king from the start," the elephant said, "but even in his youth, he wasn't as terrible a leader as Scar is now."

"But you must recall that Mufasa was taught from birth how to be king," Zazu replied. "I'm afraid that his parents failed to impart lessons on rulership to their younger son. Scar may not be a natural ruler, but he is clever and charismatic. He has sway over the actions of the hyenas, which is more than the kings of the past could accomplish. Give him a little more time, and he may surprise you."

Any thought of interrupting the moment between the elephant and the hornbill vanished from Scar's mind as he lay there in the dirt, completely take aback. Was this truly what Zazu thought of him? Never in his morning ramblings or scoldings did the bird ever bring up that he thought him "clever and charismatic". This Zazu was so different from the one that barged into his den and interrupted time with Zira to berate him for ignoring his duties that he could only lie there in amazement.

"Whatever you say, Zazu," Akila finally said, shaking her head. "But if things don't change around here soon, then I doubt the matriarch of my herd will be staying in the Pride Lands for much longer." With a final disapproving swing of her trunk, the elephant turned around and left Zazu standing, watching her go.

Scar carefully rose from the ground, the amazement of Zazu's defense having dulled a bit to allow him to move his limbs. With the silence of a practiced predator, the king crept forward before sitting up behind Zazu's back. "What a touching show of loyalty, Zazu," he drawled, breaking the silence. He smirked when the majordomo let out an undignified squawk.

"Sire!" Zazu jumped half a foot into the air in surprise. His chest swelled and deflated with a series of rapid breaths, and the bird placed a wing over his heart. "Don't startle me like that!"

Scar looked up towards the horizon where Akila's retreating form could still be seen. "I take it this wasn't an isolated incident," he said, peering down at Zazu.

Zazu sighed. "I won't lie to you, Scar," he said. "Many of the animals have been upset with how you've been running the Pride Lands for quite some time. Whole herds have threatened to move their grazing and hunting grounds elsewhere."

Scar's mane bristled at this. Even after hearing Akila's angry tirade towards him and his leadership, it was unpleasant to hear directly from Zazu that other animals felt this way as well. "I don't suppose it ever crossed your mind to tell me about all the unrest in my kingdom?"

The look of exasperation on Zazu's face was one that even Scar, who had been on the receiving end of Zazu's stares more times than he could count, would long remember. "I _have_ been trying to tell you," the majordomo said. "Nearly every morning for the past few months."

Scar managed to fight his almost natural urge to argue with Zazu as he realized that his advisor spoke the truth. "I suppose you have been trying to warn me," he said. "Although I'm not sure how you expected me to listen to anything spoken with your grating voice."

Zazu snorted, and when offered no further rebuttal, he spoke again. "Sire, if you are truly concerned with the happiness and well-fare of your subjects, then you simply can't spend all your time apart from them fulfilling your own desires." He straightened his back and ruffled his feathers in an attempt to look as authoritative as possible. "In my professional opinion, it would be best if I took you around the Pride Lands to personally interact with those that are having problems and think of ways to fix them."

Scar thought back to the question he had asked Zazu only a few days ago. He had recognized that his subjects did not love him the way they had loved the previous king, and the one before him. Zazu _had _led Mufasa through his reign that his subjects seemed to be so nostalgic over. Swallowing his pride, Scar nodded his head once. "Alright."

Zazu was halfway through rolling his eyes when Scar's response truly sunk in. He turned to his king, opening his beak before closing it and opening it again. "What did you say?" he asked, several seconds after Scar had spoken.

"I said alright." Scar chuckled at the look of bewilderment on Zazu's face. "Did you not want me to agree to go with you?"

"No, it's not that. It's just…" Zazu stumbled for a bit, trying to think how best to phrase his thoughts. "I've never known you to take my advice before."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, I suppose," Scar said. "Seeing as how I managed to render you speechless for a few seconds."

Zazu smiled, too pleased with the progress he was making with the stubborn king to be bothered by the insult. "Very well, then. We'll start first thing tomorrow morning. I'll come fetch you at sunrise."

The king's eyes widened. "You don't honestly expect me to leave my den that early, do you?" Scar asked, a hint of a whine seeping into his voice.

Zazu opened his wings and took to the air, flying away with a smirk on his beak as he turned his head to give Scar a pointed look. "Sunrise."


End file.
